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Did you know that raising chickens, ducks or other poultry is a great way to help the environment? Why is this so?
1. Raising your own poultry means you are not contributing to the often horrific, egg-producing industrial food chain. The vast majority of egg-laying chickens in the commercial egg industry are confined to overcrowded, barren cages where they cannot even spread their wings. Because of the stressful conditions, the hens often have their beaks trimmed whereby a portion of their beak is amputated so they don't peck each other. Their beaks are like our hands and by trimming them, the hens cannot engage in natural behaviors such as pecking the ground. In addition, due to their confinement, they are denied the ability to engage in other natural behaviors such as foraging, nesting, dust bathing and roosting. It simply is a miserable life for these chickens.
2. Chickens are great composters. As omnivores, you can feed them a variety of food waste including vegetables, grains, dairy and meat. Have leftovers or fruit and vegetable scraps? Feed them to the chickens instead of sending them off to the landfill.
3. Chickens are natural pest patrollers. They will undoubtedly reduce the bug count (including ticks) on your property as they busily, all day long, peck around for insects.
4. Chicken poop is a great, natural fertilizer. Put your chicken bedding directly into your compost bin to help in the creation of valuable garden compost.
5. Raising chickens is an amazing way to teach your children about food, where food comes from, why we need to appreciate and be thankful for our farmers and how to be more eco-conscious human beings.
